RBI set up digital Public Credit Registry (PCR) to capture details of all borrowers

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated steps to set up wide-based digital Public Credit Registry (PCR) to capture loan information of individuals and corporate borrowers. In this regard, RBI has invited expression of interest (EOI) for developing PSC from companies with turnover of over Rs 100 crore in last three years. Setting up of PCR assumes significance amidst rising bad loans in financial system.

Public Credit Registry (PCR) :

PCR is digital registry of authenticated granular credit information. It will work as financial information infrastructure providing access to various stakeholders and enrich the existing credit information ecosystem. It seeks to serve as single point of mandatory reporting for all material events for each loan, notwithstanding any threshold in the loan amount or type of borrower.

PCR will capture all details of borrowers, including wilful defaulters and also pending legal suits in order to check financial delinquencies. In June 2018, RBI had announced to set up PCR for India with view to address information asymmetry, foster access to credit and strengthen the credit culture in the economy. This decision was taken based on recommendation of high-level task force (HTF) i.e. YM Deosthalee committee which was constituted by RBI to review current availability of information on credit, adequacy of existing information utilities, and identify gaps that could be filled by PCR.